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Scarfell
Scarfell is a small country in the north of the Old Imperial Heartlands. It is largely seen as inhospitable for civilised races due to the harsh terrain, freezing temperatures and monstrous hordes. History and Culture Scarfell was originally known as Mistvale, a mysterious and isolated part of the world somehow in the heart of the Old Empire. The Empire built four great cities within Mistvale known as Brightwater Watch, Kyron, Whitehaven and Galhora. Although the land was strangely beautiful, the armies garrisoned within these cities were constantly pressed by orc warbands, goblin hordes and other savage races who viewed Mistvale as their territory. The attacks were infrequent but significant, with destruction of architecture and buildings seen as commonplace. Nonetheless, it seemed that the situation was under control; the armies of the Old Empire would crush the savage hordes and restore order to Mistvale. However, the court mage of Galhora discovered ancient catacombs running under Howling Pass, and he vanished while exploring these caverns. Almost immediately after he vanished, swarming out from beneath the earth came something the Old Empire was truly unprepared for; an army of demons, led by monstrous generals of terrible strength. This was the first clash of the Empire and the Horde, and it devastated Mistvale. Galhora and Whitehaven were the first to fall, with Kyron being destroyed soon after. Armies from across the Empire poured into Mistvale to defend Brightwater Watch from the Horde, but to no avail. Mistvale was conquered within a year, but the Horde did not stop there. It unleashed itself on the Old Empire, devastating Bruanon, Orkay, Anvar, Cramen, Dura, and Altea. The Old Empire's decline and collapse was probably triggered by this onslaught, and the countries fell one by one to the demonic hordes. Finally, an alliance between the remaining humans, dwarves, elves and warriors from the east launched a heroic attack on Mistvale itself, and the two armies clashed in Howling Pass. The battle was said to rage for a hundred days and a hundred nights, with the screams of the dying constant throughout the conflict. On the hundred and first day, a mere thousand warriors survived, having vanquished the horde and slain the demonic generals.These thousand warriors dubbed themselved the Legion of the North, and swore that if ever again the Horde returned, they would return to counter them. They also renamed Mistvale as Scarfell, so as to better remember its horrific past. The country was then abandoned, the cities falling into ruin. With time, silence crept back over the forests and the mountains. Three more times the Horde returned, but each time they have been repelled by the swift action of the Legion of the North. Over the years, villages have developed in the borderlands of Scarfell, and a town has been established in the south. The savage races still control the north of the country, but now that Mah'lok, Vandred, Reaver and Herot are defeated, it seems that civilisation might finally return to Scarfell. Scarfell's geography and climate resemble closely those of Dura and Bruanon, as the weather is often snowy and the terrain mountainous. The west of Scarfell is dominated by Frostleaf Forest, the north by Mount Unther and the surrounding foothills. The east contains Lake Brightwater and the ancient city of Galhora, while the south is fringed by high mountains such as Jagged Peak. Although the lands are hauntingly beautiful, they are also extremely perilous to would-be travellers. Locations in Scarfell *Frostleaf Forest - A great brooding expanse of woodland, bordering on its west Sarafey Forest, seperated by the River Taorane. Frostleaf was recently the site of a major battle, which ended in the first military defeat of the Horde. The forest is still said to be home to ancient malevolent beings and evil beasts such as Maugrim. *Howling Pass - The site of the defeat of the first and fourth Hordes. The pass is so named for the sound the wind makes as it passes through the valley, resembling an ominous moaning. The cliffs on either side of the ravine are steep and often dangerous, as landslides or avalanches are fairly common within Scarfell. *Jagged Peak - An ancient and massive mountain, recently the site of a great battle. A ruined fortress here was recently occupied by the insane Mance Rictar, the mountain occupied by his dragon, Morkhazastansivenereth. The mountain is the highest in all of Scarfell. * Mount Unther - A massive mountain in northern Scarfell, riddled with warrens and seen as the capital of goblin control. The goblin king Boneclaw was recently assassinated here by the adventurer Viserys. *Brightwater - An ancient lake under which Mah'lok fled through his portal to Blackspire. *Kyron - A ruined Imperial city in northern Scarfell. *Whitehaven - A ruined Imperial city in Frostleaf Forest, and until recently the lair of Reaver the gnoll. *Brightwater Watch - A ruined Imperial city, formerly the location of the Old Empire's final defense against the Horde. *Galhora - A ruined Imperial city in easten Scarfell. The court mage of this city is believed to be somehow responsible for bringing the Horde down upon the Old Empire, intentionally or not. *Princeton - A town essentially serving as a colony of Orkay in southern Scarfell. Category:Countries